Learn at their own pace

day to see the situation in which too many students find themselves. It is a Smith Family ad pleading for sponsorship to assist children like Jess, sitting alone while others play with their friends. Compare this to Friends’ old scholar, Wotif co-founder and philanthropist Andrew Brice’s donation of $4.8 million to his alma mater to be used for scholarships a few years ago. The parent survey from that time showed fewer than 25 per cent rated academic performance as a major reason for enrolling their children and that 18 per cent of students’ parents were teachers. How you will see social justice improved in education will be your greatest challenge, Josh. Ensuring funding is provided to schools according to real need and not political need will be paramount. The Federal Government has no problem being able to provide the 80 per cent of funding to support the non-government sectors and the 20 per cent to the public sector. It is the states that don’t have sufficient resources to contribute their required 80 per cent to public schools and this needs to be remedied.

Never too young

LOBBY groups want federal funding for a pre-kindergarten year ( Mercury, March 11). Parents are pressured to place children in structured pre-kindergarten programs that are expensive, but who benefits? Where there is money to be made, a need will be created. Young children need time to grow at their pace, to learn through play. Children in Tasmania start school at four, when they are cognitively and emotionally able to learn, in kindergartens with highly skilled, caring, professional educators.